


A Discomforting Peace

by lilmaeval



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: First Time, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, Implied Poly Eden, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Porn with Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:08:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27091804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilmaeval/pseuds/lilmaeval
Summary: It ought to have been a simple visit to the StarPro offices to end Ibara’s long day of work, and yet the moment Hiyori entered the situation, everything grew complicated as things often did around him.
Relationships: Saegusa Ibara/Tomoe Hiyori
Comments: 6
Kudos: 42





	A Discomforting Peace

**Author's Note:**

> About the tags; there is nothing explicit mentioned nor are there any flashbacks detailing anything implied. They’re just there as a preface for the very brief mentions, but I felt that they were important to include anyway.

His eminence Eichi was the last person Ibara wanted to finish his workday seeing, and yet the proposal he carried had been tasked to him to deliver. Or rather, he took ownership of it as he usually did with these types of tasks. A hard worker was the image he strived to maintain, no matter how migraine inducing the people he associated with were. Gripping the folder tight as he sequestered himself off into a corner of the crowded elevator, Ibara ensured he remained apart and untouched by any of the other occupants in the crowded elevator. Surrounded by the stench of men twice his age, Ibara couldn’t help but wonder about the main building’s budget and why they hadn’t devoted more of the income into getting a second elevator or even a third at this point.

Holding his breath, Ibara watched as the floors progressed agonizingly slow until the destination was reached. He quickly darted out and let himself exhale, though he was careful as he caught his breath. StarPro, be they ally or foe, was still competition, and the offices he now stood in may as well be enemy territory. Straightening his back, Ibara proceeded with dignity. There were thankfully few people in sight that he had to greet on his way to the office whose path he’d walked a dozen times already, meaning his trip to the door was short. Placing his hand on the handle, he decided against knocking today. Superior or not, Ibara wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries, and knocking would just invite conversation.

“Good afternoon, your eminence!” Ibara made his presence known in a loud voice, holding the proposition folder up high next to his face. “Don’t mind me barging in like this, I’m simply here to deliver the part of the deal between StarPro and CosPro. I’m sure you’ll find a satisfying result within, take your time in going over it, but not too long please!”

“Saegusa-kun,” Eichi greeted with his sickeningly serene smile as he took the folder that was practically thrown into his hand, “you must either be very eager or very rushed to enter the way you did just now. I suppose I’ll find out once I get started looking over this, hm?”

“I would hesitate to make judgements about the contents from the way they were delivered,” Ibara quickly retorted, “rather, I would recommend his eminence absorb the words written with an open mind.”

“I was already planning to,” Eichi hummed, flattening his hands and resting his chin on top of them, “thank you, Saegusa-kun. You’re free to go.”

“Understood!” Ibara offered a quick salute before turning on his heel, preparing to head out without a second glance. A flash of green, a familiar hue at that, caught the corner of his eye and forced his movements to halt. Head turning to the side, blue eyes widened upon the sight they found. “...Your highness?”

His face fully in view, there was no denying that this was indeed his highness Hiyori, sat with a teacup in hand and staring directly at Eichi. Sat completely still, legs uncrossed and feet firmly planted on the floor, and his face completely emotionless, Ibara wondered what it was exactly that made it so difficult for him to even recognize his senior. It wasn’t as though seeing a frown on his normally smiling face was new; in fact, that was the face Ibara usually found himself greeted with. Even so, if Ibara had turned himself around in the opposite direction, had he turned to the left instead of the right, he would have likely escaped the room without even knowing the other was there. Something was wrong with that, surely. There was no way that was normal.

“Fufu, so you were in such a hurry you didn’t even know your unit mate was with me?” Eichi remarked upon the reaction. “How interesting. Yes, Hiyori-kun and I were in the middle of a conversation before you came in, Ibara-kun. Are you planning on leaving still?”

Was he being forced out, or inquired about his intentions in being there in the first place? Being told he seemed hurried, and then acting like it was planned, it was a contradiction wasn’t it? Wrong; this was all wrong. Hiyori wouldn’t even look at Ibara; he wouldn’t even get a word in about how Ibara was ruining his tea time with his presence. The fact that he couldn’t even tell the senior was in the room at all, the man who lit up a room just by existing, there was something horribly and distractingly wrong with that.

An alarm went off on Ibara’s phone, and he suddenly got an idea. Pulling it out but still faced away from the other two, he placed a hand on Hiyori’s shoulder with a forceful grip. Violet eyes finally turned in his direction, and Ibara met them cautiously.

“Ah, it’s actually serendipitous that we should meet here, your highness Hiyori,” Ibara turned his head towards the man and wore his usual business smile, “as it turns out, I was going to look for you after this. I wanted to discuss a job offer that came in for you, but it’s in my office. Instead of heading to the usual café, shall we go there together instead?”

Hiyori was silent, only staring back at Ibara with parted lips and big eyes. Bewildered, no doubt, and attempting to understand Ibara’s angle. It was entirely up to his senior now whether or not to take the offered hand, and Ibara prepared himself for the possibility that he’d be rejected. After all, it wasn’t like he was a trustworthy individual, not even in comparison to Eichi.

“Huh,” Eichi’s voice lowered, and Ibara could feel those pale blue eyes sink into his back, “I swear I just said we were having a conversation. I wonder how you missed that, Saegusa-kun. Maybe you’re unaware that it’s rude to interrupt this sort of thing. Regardless, I wouldn’t mind you joining us instead, it’s no concern of mine. We won’t lock the door on you if you return to your office and bring the offer down here, after all. Plus, Hiyori-kun’s taste in tea is a bit far removed from mine, so I’d appreciate a second opinion on the blend we’re enjoying.”

“No, no,” Ibara shook his head, “it’s confidential, I can’t go revealing CosPro’s plans so easily, especially not to a competitor.”

“If you’re that concerned, I wouldn’t mind signing an NDA,” Eichi offered, “it’s no trouble at all, really. Even if it’s about business, it hardly feels like we talk outside of meetings at all, Saegusa-kun, and it’d be a much more relaxed setting here than where we usually meet, wouldn’t you say?”

There wasn’t much Ibara could say to that on the top of his head, and that was bad. If he couldn’t give a good excuse, then he’d have no choice but to let go and depart. Perhaps that was for the best. Hiyori still wasn’t responding to his offer, so it was clearly unwanted. Ibara’s grip loosened; just as it did, a warm hand placed itself on top of it, sending a jolt down the junior’s spine. The clinking of a teacup placed on a table rang, and soon he found his palm embracing another as his senior stood up with an exasperated look on his face.

“It can’t be helped, Eichi-kun,” Hiyori lamented, “Ibara will sulk if he can’t talk to me when he wants to. He’s needy like that, aren’t you, Ibara?” Hiyori tilted his head, and though normally that would be his cue to put his smile back on, the smiling noble’s mask was nowhere to be seen.

“Is that so?” Eichi sighed as he picked up the teacup and stood from his own seat. “Fine then, we can resume this at a later date. Take care, you two.”

“Yes, yes!” Hiyori huffed as he placed a hand on Ibara’s back, propelling him forward. “We’ll be just fine, no need to worry yourself sick. Or actually, do. Then maybe I can finally wear that suit I’ve been saving for your funeral, ahaha!”

Though laughter sounded, Ibara was certain the man’s smile hadn’t returned yet. Marching forward to the elevator, the hand that held his own tightened, and reluctantly, he squeezed it back.

* * *

Ibara sat at his desk and felt the stress wash away, the tenseness in his fingertips melting as he placed them on the leather armrests. Closing his eyes and leaning back, he re-opened them to see Hiyori politely sitting across from him with his legs folded, staring expectantly. Why hadn’t he left yet? He didn’t believe what Ibara was saying, had he?

“Ah, your highness,” Ibara addressed as he adjusted his glasses and his posture, “there’s no need for you to remain here. I only brought you here to keep up the ruse, but you’re free to go, whether it’s to your dorm or otherwise.”

“...What?”

Ibara turned his head up and noted how incredulous the other man looked, swallowing down. If he had actually been believed in, then no doubt Hiyori was mad about being torn away from a chat with a friend. He stepped in where he wasn’t needed, what was wrong with him?

“My apologies,” he offered quietly, averting his gaze, “I had assumed something wasn’t right with the situation you were in earlier with his eminence. I merely came up with that story as an excuse for you to leave, if you so desired, I didn’t think you’d find any truth in it. Should you wish to return to his side, please explain to his eminence that I misplaced the job offer.”

Hiyori was silent, and that was the worst response Ibara could have received. This was bad. He placed himself into a situation where he was unwanted, and now the bigmouth Hiyori was threatening him with his lack of confirmation. He had to come up with an excuse, anything at all that could save him the next time he and Eichi met.

“I don’t understand,” Hiyori’s voice cut like a knife, and the usual chipperness that it held was replaced by something cold and broken. “I don’t understand...Ibara-kun, why did you do that? What did you gain from that?”

That proved to be an even harder question to answer, at least honestly. Ibara placed his hands flat on the desk before him and tapped each finger one by one in a line as he pondered his word choice. Finally, he came to an answer, although formulating how to phrase it proved another challenge.

“There were several things that concerned me,” Ibara began, “about the situation that I found myself within. His highness Hiyori is a genius idol, who can wear his persona at all hours of the day should he wish. The only time I’m used to seeing you without your smile is, well, when you’re stuck alone with me. Regardless, there’s a difference between the frowns you give me and the, erm, lifelessness I witnessed there. Pardon my phrasing, it’s nothing to say about your appearance, your highness, you’re lovely as always. Your presence, however, was altogether lacking, and that was something I couldn’t stop thinking about. It...It disturbed me to think I could have left that room and not even known you were in it, so I thought there was a problem with that. I must have been mistaken.”

Hiyori was still, and then he got to his feet. Ibara lowered his head, not tracking the motions of his senior’s feet until they sounded closer and closer yet. A shadow drew over his form, and he quickly upturned his head to see his senior standing at his side. The taller man grabbed both armrests and turned the chair so Ibara was forced to face him head on, Hiyori bending forward so their faces were at an even height. Unreadable; Ibara couldn’t read Hiyori’s true intent with his smile, and he absolutely couldn’t without him wearing it. He forced himself to remain still, watching Hiyori’s every move and planning a counterattack if necessary.

“Viper,” Hiyori muttered the name under his breath, placing a finger underneath Ibara’s chin and forcing it up, “stupid viper. You’re such an idiot, Ibara-kun.”

The words Hiyori spoke were harsh and the vitriol within them couldn’t be missed. And yet, Ibara was forced to recognize the gratefulness laced within. Hiyori wasn’t leaving; instead, he was wrapping his arms around Ibara’s neck and pressing himself onto the junior’s lap. Hot, everything was suddenly overwhelmingly hot. Ibara had no idea where to put his hands, and he could feel his body already reacting to this in the  _ wrong _ way. He grit his teeth and clenched the armrests of his chair, attempting to focus on his breathing and forcing himself to do so through his mouth so as to not take in too much of his senior’s scent.

“Rescuing me like a princess from an evil wizard’s grasp,” Hiyori went on senselessly, “and yet you’re far from a prince. Eichi-kun fits that definition more, and you’re the one constantly putting me under your spell. Perhaps it’s Eichi-kun who’s an evil prince, and you’re an even eviler wizard.”

“I have no idea what on earth you are saying, your highness,” Ibara replied.

“Oh, forget it,” Hiyori sighed as he leaned back, meeting Ibara’s gaze that was forced to return it. “What bad weather you always bring, Ibara-kun. Deciding when I’m in danger, choosing to save me and do so in the kindest way possible, and then telling me I should just go? That’s disturbing to me. What’s wrong with you? Why would you do that? You still haven’t answered me.”

Ibara swallowed, unsure of how to respond. How could he get himself out of this? How could he explain his actions properly when he was still uncertain as to why he did them in the first place? An excuse, the same he used as always, that was the only thing he could think of.

“An idol I produce appeared to be in a poor situation,” Ibara answered, “one whose image I’m very particular about maintaining. As I stated earlier, I assumed there was something wrong about the conversation I walked into, and that if I left without nipping it in the bud, it might devolve into something worse. His eminence is not someone whose influence should be underestimated, so I did what I could to protect an asset of my own before it was poisoned. That is the reason for my actions.”

“You know I don’t buy that for one second, right?”

Before Ibara could protest, he found his glasses being removed from his face and two thumbs pressing themselves directly underneath them. His breath hitched, and though he wouldn’t flinch, he had no choice but to find the position growing from uncomfortable to painful.

“These bags under your eyes,” Hiyori pointed out, digging his thumbs into the skin, “and that futon on the floor; you’ve been sleeping in your office again, haven’t you? No wonder you’re not thinking straight, you’re burning the candle at both ends.”

Futon? Ah, he’d forgotten to put it away. Ibara struggled to attempt to see where it was, as his face was pinned in place and, well, he probably wouldn’t be able to see it anyway without his glasses, but he vaguely knew its position must have been behind Hiyori. Continuing to sit still in place, Ibara attempted to piece a response, but as always, his senior filled any silence with the sound of his own voice. At least it meant he was back to his old self.

“Eichi-kun offered for you to join us for tea,” Hiyori reminisced, “and yet the last thing you need right now is caffeine. Well, even if it’s here, let’s go ahead and get you to rest. No need to move, your big brother Hiyori-kun will carry you in his arms~”

Lifted in the air by his seat, Ibara hardly had room to react to the sudden movement other than a squeak and wrap of his arms around Hiyori’s shoulders. As he shook in place, Hiyori let out an annoying laugh, one that made Ibara wonder why he found the image of a lifeless Hiyori all that terrible to begin with.

“Aw~ Is Ibara-kun afraid of heights?” Hiyori giggled to himself before swiftly turning around, quickly enough to nearly make Ibara sick to his stomach. “You have nothing to fear, my arms are strong enough to carry you for at least another minute.”

That was all the time Hiyori needed to place Ibara down on the futon below, the firm surface enveloping him easily. Hiyori moved around to search for something around Ibara’s desk, and soon the room began to darken as the blinds were lowered around the wall-height windows. Drowsiness set in instantly, and Ibara relented to its call. If he was going to be forced to rest, he might as well give it a try. His plans for the day were mostly complete, so it wasn’t like he had too many matters to worry about. The thing he had planned to do next was go to the Eden practice room, but now it felt like moving his body that much would have been impossible. With a soft sigh, Ibara turned onto his side and attempted to fall asleep.

Just as he did so, an overwhelming warmth enraptured his body. Hot, too hot, something was burning him from how hot it became. Rather than the comforter alone being tossed over his laying form, there was also a pair of arms around his sides and the chest of a man pressing itself to Ibara’s back. He thrashed instantly, but that only invited in a harsh squeeze that choked out his resistance with startling effectiveness.

“Y-Your highness,” Ibara stuttered in disbelief, “what are you—?!”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Hiyori chuckled as if the situation were lighthearted and free instead of dangerous as Ibara perceived it. “I’m enveloping you in my love, Ibara-kun. It’s nap time, and I’m an excellent cuddler. You’ll soon find yourself nodding off into the best sleep of your life~”

“That is not going to be the case at all,” Ibara retorted, attempting to reel in his frantic breathing, “rather, touching me while I attempt to sleep will only invite wakefulness. I can’t fall asleep and stay asleep while in this position, so kindly let go, your highness.”

“You ought to feel grateful I’m even doing this for you, viper,” Hiyori returned as if the words spoken to him meant nothing, “my hugs are a special reward meant only for people I deem worthy of receiving them. Rather, think of this as a reward for what you did for me today.”

“What I did?” Ibara repeated the phrase back, turning his head back before realizing there was no way he’d be able to turn around and see the other’s face. Not just because he couldn’t turn, but also because it was dark and he was blind. It didn’t matter, he was sure the other was wearing that same pitiful scowl he always did near Ibara.

“Yes,” Hiyori confirmed, a little quieter than before, “thank you.”

Just the two words alone were like a knife in Ibara’s chest, and he hated how badly he wanted to look his superior in the eye. What on earth was he doing, acting completely out of character and actually  _ thanking _ Ibara for removing him from Eichi’s presence? How could he be grateful for that?

“What did I do that’s worth thanking?” Ibara asked directly, knowing he wouldn’t be satisfied until he got an answer. He was met with silence, and that only irritated him further. “Your highness, you surely haven’t gone to sleep that quickly. Provide me with an answer or else I surely won’t be able to rest at all.”

“I haven’t fallen asleep,” Hiyori denied, sighing as he continued, “and I suppose I can’t leave you sleepless without a response, so I’ll speak. I’m thanking you for giving me a way out of that room. I wasn’t even thinking of wanting to leave until you gave me the option, but once it was there, there was no way I could refuse.”

“Is that so,” Ibara murmured, pondering the answer. “What did his eminence do to make you look so...Drained?”

“Nothing, really,” Hiyori answered, his voice barely above a whisper, “he was just telling me about how he and Nagisa-kun recently had lunch together, without me. He said they talked about me a lot, and how he was hoping I’d join them next time.”

“That’s it?” Ibara responded incredulously. “Something like that reduced you to such a pathetic state?”

“Hm~” Hiyori tightened his grasp on Ibara, and soon he felt his senior press his face into the junior’s neck. “You two really are different if something like that doesn’t disturb you to hear. Or, rather, maybe it’s still all my fault for not allowing him to change in my eyes. That’s surely why I find it easier to be around you, you’re more like the Eichi-kun I used to know than the thing that walks around claiming to be him now.”

Ibara clenched the futon below, digging his short nails into the fabric. The arms wrapped around him were suffocating, and his body was completely unable to relax. Nothing Hiyori said made any sense, and Ibara couldn’t help but wonder if the other even knew that.

“I don’t understand,” Ibara responded, unable to hold back his frustration, “I don’t know what you’re saying, your highness. Why would you be upset at receiving an invitation to go to lunch? You’re saying we were once similar, but I’ve invited you to join me for lunch before.”

“For business,” Hiyori corrected, “not for pleasure.”

“Well, yes,” Ibara admitted, “that is true. Even so, his highness Hiyori is a socialite, is he not? Such an invitation would always be welcomed, especially accompanied by his excellency.”

“That’s just it,” Hiyori’s grasp on Ibara tightened to the point where the suffocating hold felt more like deliberate choking, and though it was hard to concentrate, Ibara couldn’t help but notice the way Hiyori’s voice wavered. “Of course I wanted to accept the invite. Of course I want to be with Eichi-kun and Nagisa-kun. Of course I want to do nothing but waste the time with them both exchanging pleasantries, but the problem is that now that’s not  _ my _ Eichi-kun. That’s not the boy who I knew as a child as nothing more than a cold-hearted menace, a foul weather person whose mere presence invited despair. That’s not the boy who invited me to join his unit, one he made solely for the purpose of using me  _ and _ Nagisa-kun all so he could fulfill his own ambitions. That’s not the boy who didn’t even bat an eye in my direction when I left him, the one who never even saw me as his friend despite how long we’d known each other.”

There was water on Ibara’s neck, along with the sound of sobs and sniffles filling the air. Ibara remained completely still, trying to process his senior’s words. As if a dam had broken, the waterfall continued without care for the surroundings it drowned.

“The worst part,” Hiyori murmured, “the worst of it all is, I know exactly how ridiculous this all sounds. I should be happy for him. I should be happy his world has brightened up to the point that he can call the people who provide him love his friends. I should be happy that he finally considers me one, and that he’s even treating Nagisa-kun like a human being. It should make me happy to see him smiling at me like he respects me, and yet I can’t. I just can’t. I can’t let go, and that makes me feel like an ungrateful and vengeful person. I don’t want to anymore, I want to move on and accept who he is now, but I can’t. I can’t, I can’t, I can’t, I can’t.”

Here, Hiyori was holding onto Ibara like he was the one thing keeping him tethered to the world, and yet Ibara’s disgusting body was growing hotter and harder from just the touch of Hiyori’s body on his own. Worse than that, the man’s crying only sped up the process, and Ibara was once again revolted at himself for being the way that he was. The training he’d been through had turned him into the sickening creature who could only crave one thing from even the most innocent forms of affection, and it didn’t matter that they came from a divine being like Hiyori. This was his only way to react, and empathy had never come easily to him since he was never extended any himself his entire life. There was nothing he could say or do that could rectify the mess he’d gotten them both into. It would have been better had he left the other behind to deal with the situation himself, surely he would have been better off if he didn’t need to admit to any of these feelings he had. That was what Ibara would have wanted for himself, at least. He’d hate to be extended any kindness if someone assumed he was in trouble. He didn’t understand himself, he didn’t know why he bothered.

“Ibara-kun,” Hiyori’s broken voice called the junior’s name, sending a shiver down his spine, “did you fall asleep yet?”

“No,” Ibara answered, “of course I haven’t.”

“I thought you said you would,” Hiyori raised his head and let it rest on Ibara’s shoulder, his tear stained cheek brushing against the junior’s. “Otherwise, why did I let you see what lies beneath the mask? The least you can do is sleep for me.”

“I can’t,” Ibara shook his head, trying to pull further away from the heat that pressed itself to his face, “you need to let me go first.”

“I’d die before I did that,” Hiyori huffed.

His senior’s hands, which were around Ibara’s waist, suddenly loosened. After hearing what he last said, Ibara doubted that he was planning to let go. Instead, they were moving, wandering. The arm that was underneath Ibara slid up, palm crossing over where the junior’s racing heart laid. Then, the hand that was over lowered itself; lower, and lower, up until a hand wrapped itself around the bulge in Ibara’s pants, forcing his body to tense up in response.

“You can’t sleep because of this,” Hiyori stated, “that’s the issue, isn’t it?”

The hand squeezed down, eliciting a gasp from the sensitive junior. Ibara shut his mouth and buried his head into the futon below, doing his damndest to make sure no other noises escaped him. Hiyori’s grasp outlasted Ibara’s held breath, leaving the younger of the two panting for lost air.

“Stop that,” Ibara finally grunted, “why are you touching there?”

“You can’t sleep,” Hiyori returned, “and it’s because of this. I promised to help you rest, so I’ll take care of this too. You don’t have to worry about a thing, just let me do this for you.”

“Why?” Ibara furrowed his brow and let his head turn up, a glimmer of purple staring back at him in the dark room. “Why, your highness? You ought to be disgusted that I would have this kind of reaction to your honesty and comfort. Wouldn’t it be better for you to abandon my side and let me handle this on my own? Then you could go to someone capable of empathizing with you properly.”

“I’d never do that,” Hiyori flatly denied, his hand unrelenting as it continued to slowly stroke the junior’s length through the fabric that covered it. “I’d never leave you alone when I knew I could help you, just like you did for me. I’m not disgusted by you at all, I’m happy to keep helping you, even if it means it’s like this. I’m skilled in it, in any case, so you don’t have to worry about a thing.”

Ibara couldn’t speak. He couldn’t figure out what to say. What could he do to stop this? Did he even want to? Hiyori was embracing him, completely and fully, and offering to satisfy his unwanted lust. He still couldn’t understand. He still didn’t know why this was happening, and why Hiyori was acting so selfless in this kind of situation. It was maddening, especially in how the other compared the actions to the singular one he took earlier.

“I told you,” Ibara shuddered, “I didn’t want my idol to be in a situation where he appeared to be uncomfortable. In any case, I’m your producer, so you shouldn’t be doing this, it’s not appropriate.”

“Don’t give me that,” Hiyori let out a scoff, lifting himself and pushing Ibara onto his back before sitting on the junior’s lap. “Really, you’re going back to the whole ‘business only’ mentality? We’re not just producer and idol or even just unit mates. We’re family, Ibara-kun, and I’m going to take care of my family no matter what.”

Situated on top, Hiyori grasped the hem of Ibara’s shirt and pulled it out from the pants it was tucked into. Warm hands slipped beneath and pushed it off as they moved along Ibara’s chest, all the way until he forced the top over Ibara’s head and off his arms.

“Finally, I’ve rid you of that terrible shirt” Hiyori hummed triumphantly. His inflection inferred he might have a smile on his face, but Ibara couldn’t see him. “Yes, yes, you look much handsomer without it!”

“How can you even tell?” Ibara asked. “It’s too dark to see.”

“I illuminate the whole world with just my presence alone, don’t I?” Hiyori returned, a distinct giggle escaping him as he lowered himself, his face drawing closer to Ibara’s until the vague outline of it came into focus. “And though you may be a bright person yourself, Ibara, you use that to hide a lot of darkness within you as well. I would know, we’re distressingly similar in that regard. Don’t worry, I’m going to be your sun. I’m going to brighten up your pathetic life and give you a reason to feel good about yourself for once. That’s your reward for letting me use you to vent, and also so that you can keep what happens in here a secret.”

Oh. That made a lot more sense, actually. Ibara was more familiar with the latter half of what Hiyori spoke of in regards to activities like these than anything that came before it. Raising his hands, he placed them on Hiyori’s chest but did not push him away, instead holding him in place so he didn’t sink any further.

“Do what you will then,” Ibara relented, feeling the heat of Hiyori’s breath hitting his own mouth, “if pleasuring me is what will make you feel you’ve accomplished something today, then I’m yours to command, your highness. You are my senior, after all, I should expect you to know what’s best for me.”

“Ahaha~ Listen to my obedient little viper,” Hiyori’s voice rang loudly, “being a delightful suck-up as always. You don’t have to worry about a thing, no matter what it is that you desire, I’ll fulfill it. You’re the one who’s in need of attention after all, aren’t you? Ah, but there’s at least one thing I need you to give me.”

Hiyori bent down, further down past the hands that were holding him up and away from Ibara, and before the junior could protest, he found his mouth occupied by another. Lips melded together quickly, and soon after tongue was introduced without a second thought. Hiyori was forceful as anything, pressing Ibara’s head down further into the pillow, and once he pulled back the junior was at a complete loss of breath. Hiyori, strangely enough, wasn’t. Instead, Ibara’s cheeks were held tightly between two palms, Hiyori’s face practically touching the one below.

“I don’t do this kind of thing lovelessly,” Hiyori stated, slowly delivering each syllable, “I may be doing this now for your benefit, but I expect you to treat me as though we’ve done this a dozen times before. Love me, praise me, beg for me, just don’t ignore me. I won’t forgive you if you treat this like you’re using me or I’m using you. Carve me onto your heart and let me stay there forever, and in return I’ll make sure to give you a good time. You can handle that, can’t you, Ibara-kun?”

Love? Since when had that ever been asked of him? Ibara attempted to swallow down a strange feeling that gurgled in his stomach, but it kept resurfacing at just the thought of the word. His hands began to press harder against the chest they laid against, but they could not budge the man on top.

“I don’t know how to do that,” Ibara admitted, “I don’t know anything about love. I’m a lost cause in that regard, you’ll find nothing but the lustful sin that permeates my body. That’s why, even as you were trying to hold me platonically, my body could not help but react as though there was more to the touch. It has nothing to do with love but desire in its most corrupted form. That’s why I can’t give you what it is that you ask.”

“Excuses, excuses,” Hiyori sighed, quickly pecking Ibara a few more times before sitting up straight and taking off his own shirt, “just try for me, won’t you? You naturally show your love for me all the time, you just coat it in enough layers of business talk to mask how you feel for me. Even letting me do this now, you’ve likely come up with an excuse about how it fits into that awful dynamic you think we have. I’m telling you now, it doesn’t fit, and the more you try to force that narrative, the more you’ll make your own heart ache.”

“Why are you so certain?” Ibara retorted. “Simply because you can love without restraint, it does not necessarily mean that all others can do the same. Some of us have never had the chance to even know such warmth, to the point where we question it’s very existence.”

“Now you’re just being long-winded on purpose,” Hiyori retorted before pulling Ibara’s hands away by his wrists, guiding them around his back as he pressed their chests together. The very flames of the sun enveloped the cold blooded snake below, violet eyes caught in an endearing half-lidded gaze that terrified Ibara to his core. “If that’s really the issue, then I’ll provide you exactly what you need, Ibara-kun. I’ll give you the love you’ve needed for a lifetime and more, no matter how pathetically you refuse me to protect that hard shell of yours. I know you better than that. In any case, we’re already a couple, so we may as well act like it. We became one the moment you declared yourself Adam, and I, Eve.”

“That—“ Ibara found his words getting caught in his throat as Hiyori connected their mouths together once more. The man above pushed his hips down hard onto Ibara’s, enough for Ibara to feel the erection in the other’s pants. When they parted again, the warm embrace broke as well as Hiyori began to lower himself with hands displaying their intentions fully well with their placement on Ibara’s belt. “I...Rather, his excellency was always intended to be your Adam, wouldn't you agree?”

“What would be the point of being two souls in one with our partner, then?” Hiyori argued back. “Although, it upsets me greatly to think what should happen if Nagisa-kun were to try and use that logic with Jun-kun. Thankfully, I know it won’t happen the other way around, I’ve got a contingency in place for that. In any case, Ibara-kun, you’ve been my Adam for as long as I’ve been your Eve, right from the moment I signed that dreadful contract of yours. Seeing as you haven’t rid of me yet, and seeing as how you don’t plan to, it’s within our right to be as bonded as our namesake. The rib you’ve given me was my second chance at being an idol, and in return I give you the companionship that Eve was created for. Doesn’t it fit us too well?”

There were moments like these where Hiyori spoke in such a way that sounded so distinctly like Nagisa, it was hard to distinguish the two. Even though their very natures were complete opposites of one another, just the presence they took and the genius they displayed was a solid reminder to Ibara of just how far ahead the both of them were. No matter how much the other played the spoiled rich brat who smiled so long as he got his way, the devious half-grin he wore now seemed far more fitting on his princely face.

Belt unbuckled and loosened, Hiyori had an easy time removing Ibara’s pants. His motions halted briefly as one hand brushed against a large scar on Ibara’s thigh, likely feeling the sudden change from smooth to rough and being caught off guard. Eventually, he continued, and now all that was left on Ibara was his thong.

“I’m surprised you wear something so bare,” Hiyori remarked as he pressed a finger idly to the bulge, forcing Ibara to stiffen in response, “and what a dull color too. I’ve always hated grey, it’s so dreary. Couldn’t you at least wear black, like our unit color? Better yet maroon, like your hair. Or green, like mine~ Ah, but then you’d look like Christmas...Maybe that isn’t such a bad thing, actually. Undressing you could feel like opening a present.”

“You think so much about presentation,” Ibara returned, trying to ignore the way Hiyori’s hand was now fully palming his erection through the thin fabric. “I only wear these because they’re easy to move around in and don’t chafe. Does it really matter what I’m wearing underneath so long as the outside is presentable?”

“First of all, yes,” Hiyori huffed indignantly, furrowing his brow, “second of all, I would hardly classify the majority of your closet as ‘presentable.’ The shirts you pick out are just the absolute worst, I’m going to drag you out with me next time I go shopping. Don’t worry, I won’t even make you carry anything, Jun-kun will take care of it.”

“Why would you do that to him? Something tells me his highness is the kind who would grope me in the changing stalls.”

“I—Well, I didn’t say Jun-kun couldn’t  _ join _ us.”

“An expected answer from his royal highness. I suppose I shouldn’t have doubted your ability to drag as many men as you like into your sexual endeavors.”

“Shush! You are distracting me from my point, look.” Hiyori shoved his pants down and revealed the cream colored panties he wore, adorned with a red ribbon at the center of the waistband. “With these, not only do I feel pretty, but they also remind me of someone I am fond of. Wouldn’t you like to do the same for me? It’s an easy way to express your love, especially when his hands reach down and undress you. The look on that man’s face is always priceless~ I want you to experience that same affection, so dress prettily for me, okay?”

“For what inconsequential reason should I?” Ibara asked, his eyes beginning to feel tired from squinting in order to gain some semblance of focus in the dark.

“Because we’re together now, Ibara-kun,” Hiyori reinforced as he kicked off the rest of his pants, leaving the both of them in nothing but their undergarments. “Forever, I might add. I’m not going to let this relationship fall apart even if you try to play a trick with contracts to push me away, I’m done with that game. Hm, although, for one that we could play, we could always try wearing the same panties~ Wouldn’t you like that, Ibara-kun? Wouldn’t you like to match with me? I couldn’t rely on Jun-kun doing that and Nagisa hardly fits in the things I like, but you’ve got a pretty and slim body, so you should fit just fine!”

Being told that he should wear something so...so  _ feminine _ made Ibara feel ill, but he couldn’t really focus on it as there was already too much going on. Hiyori stood up, his warmth evaporating from the legs that he once sat upon, and he began to dig around tirelessly in the drawers of the desk.

“Surely you keep something in here, don’t you?” Hiyori inquired, feeling around carelessly and likely ruining Ibara’s carefully organized layout.

“Bottom left drawer,” Ibara relented, “and while you’re at it, bring me my glasses and turn the lights on a bit. I’ll get a migraine—rather, my migraine will worsen the more I try to see in this darkness without them.”

“Ah, that’s fair enough,” Hiyori hummed compliantly, figuring everything out and the lights in the room kicking on to a warm amber glow. “I want you to see me after all,” Hiyori continued, his voice growing low and quiet as he returned to his placement on Ibara’s legs, the panties he wore notably absent. “I want you to see me in all my glory, and to see what I look like with you, Ibara-kun. Let yourself become infatuated, to the point where you can’t resist the thought of holding me again and again. Grow addicted to me, and let my beauty purge you of your sin. You only have to let me help you, Ibara-kun. I’ll make you feel wonderful.”

Glasses were slowly slipped on as Ibara’s thong was removed, leaving him bare and cold until Hiyori’s warm hand wrapped itself around his shaft. Ibara let out a shivering gasp that hung in the air, Hiyori’s hand remaining tauntingly still. Ibara propped himself up on his elbows, only to be greeted with his face drawing near once more. Their lips met, slow and tender as Hiyori sucked upon Ibara’s lower lip and tongues flicking against one another. Hiyori pulled back short enough so that Ibara could get a better look at the older man’s expression, feeling his stomach churn at the devious glint in Hiyori’s eyes.

“I’ll let you decide,” Hiyori stated, “because I’m a generous individual, and I live to please. Shall I be taking you? Or shall you be taking me from below?”

“I’ll be taking you, of course!” Ibara answered hurriedly, not even needing to think about the answer. His shoulders sunk as he realized the way he spoke may have been mistaken for excitement that they were doing this in the first place, and he found his grave assumption to be correct as Hiyori’s laughter filled the air.

“Eager, are we?” Hiyori remarked as he sat back up, reaching for the lube and lining his fingers. “I am too. You don’t know for how long I’ve been waiting for you to grow upset that you aren’t holding me. I’ve been waiting for you to call me into your office, push down onto your desk, and to fuck me until I can’t move. Don’t you ever have the same fantasies as me, Ibara? The dreams I have are sometimes so vivid, I wake and wonder if you shared them with me. Some time ago, I thought them to be nightmares, but recently they’re scarier for the fact that they never seem to be real. Is it the same for you?”

“...I hardly sleep as it is, your highness,” Ibara answered, pointing out the circles under his eyes again as he tried to comprehend the rest of Hiyori’s ramblings.

“Surely you must get some rest, don’t you?” Hiyori returned.

“Not without sleeping pills,” Ibara admitted quietly, lowering his chin and forcing his gaze to the man’s stomach. Flat and smooth, and soft looking as well. He was having a harder and harder time denying the effect of being underneath Hiyori’s nude body, especially when he had to see the result of his desire standing on its own. “When I have those, however, I can expect nightmares. If you were in any of them, they’ve all but vanished from my mind, and I don’t want to recall them.”

“Huh,” Hiyori uttered quietly before reaching down with one hand and placing it on Ibara’s chest, his other hand wrapping behind himself. “Poor thing. I really do feel bad for you. Love can’t even be a pleasant thing in your dreams, can it? Don’t worry, then. I’ll make sure reality is nothing but a field of flowers for you. I’ll become your waking dream that you can fondly remember, your darling highness who just wants you to be happy. Think of me, think of  _ us _ . And if in the future, you want me as you like, take me. I’ll be with you anywhere and at any time, just take the initiative and show me your desire, Ibara-kun. That is the love I want you to show me, the inability to stop wanting me.”

Ibara watched, mesmerized by the way Hiyori’s body curved as he fingered himself. The act could hardly be seen, especially as his own breathing was starting to fog his vision, but he could see enough that left his unattended cock aching for more. Why was he letting this happen? Hiyori may have been strong, but Ibara’s body bore the marks of his struggles. He could get out, if he really wanted to. He could have this entire time. And yet he didn’t. He remained in place, letting Hiyori have his way and in control of the situation. Ibara gave him that. He gave Hiyori that, perhaps as penance for the nightmares he had. Now no longer denying his needs, Ibara caught glimpses of the nightmarish memories flashing through his mind. An idol, warm and radiant like the sun in his arms, cast down below and used until it lost all its luster. Abused and abandoned, as himself had been before. This was nothing like that. Hiyori was threatening him with promises to stay, to surround him with light and comfort. The concepts were frightening to think about, as Ibara could hardly understand them.

The more he thought about it, however, and the more he found himself staring at the amethyst eyes above through fogged lenses, the more Ibara realized how badly he wanted this. He realized how badly he  _ wanted _ Hiyori. He wanted his senior, beautiful and glistening like a star whether off stage or not, with him in their rawest forms acting upon a primal urge they couldn’t escape. Breathing in through his nose, Ibara let his hands rise to the man’s chest, not pushing away but instead feeling it in his palms. His thumbs brushed over the senior’s nipples, eliciting a grateful moan from Hiyori’s mouth along with a giggle.

“So, you’re finally deciding to play along?” Hiyori cooed. “Thank goodness, I was actually scared you’d be still as a board the entire time! You’d be no better than a doll at that point, I would know.”

“Your highness’s bad habit of speaking too much is in full effect during sex, I see,” Ibara noted. “My assumption had been that, lost within the carnal haze of intercourse, you might speak less coherently and without such verbose vocabulary. Instead, it appears as though the fog of lust has only increased your highness’s mental capabilities. Such an unexpected result, and yet I remain the foolish one for doubting your genius.”

“Ahaha~ What strange compliments you give!” Hiyori exclaimed as he leaned into the touches Ibara gave him. “Don’t you understand though, Ibara? I’m still playing a character for you right now. I’m playing the part of someone who I think you’ll like, someone who’s deserving of your own intellect. If you like, I can be how I am with Jun-kun. Your bossy girlfriend, never satisfied but always asking for more anyway because the attention I receive is well worth the price. Or I could be like how I am with Nagisa-kun. An eternal companion, family to the end, someone who knows you completely and unafraid to admit the same in return. Which would you like for me to be, Ibara? Tell me, I’ll be your ideal idol and lover all the same. My character is in your hands, my producer.”

Playing to Ibara’s sensibilities as a businessman, he wondered if he should point out that the senior was already fully aware of what type of lover his junior wanted. Or did he? Ibara was forced to think long and hard as Hiyori prepared himself, clearly ready for the two to unite as one. The head of Ibara’s cock was placed at Hiyori’s entrance, and slowly but surely, he lowered himself with arms held above his head.

“Ibara-kun,” Hiyori whispered, flexing his body to show off every inch of his torso, “tell me who you want to be. Tell me who’s the one person in your life who can make you feel love. Let me love you, Ibara-kun, and love me how you like, just make sure it’s love.”

Raising his hips, Hiyori began a steady and sensual rhythm as he lowered his hands until they were placed on Ibara’s chest, giving him something sturdy to grasp onto as he moved. His moans were loud and without restraint, and amethyst eyes never once broke their gaze with the crystal blue gaze below, no matter how hard Ibara’s brow furrowed. In turn, the junior was left to contemplate the words given; forced to think during the one time he’d been trained to stop thinking entirely.

What did he want in a lover? Ibara could hardly stomach the idea, let alone think too hard about the answer. With Jun, he had an equal rival to compete with, though he was always keenly aware of how far ahead Jun could go in comparison to himself. If anything, that boy was the protagonist in the manga they read, and Ibara was the foil who was meant to only push the other ahead. Meanwhile, Ibara’s progress was his own problem that no one else had to have any involvement in, not even Jun. Their relationship went as such; testing each other from time to time, and more often than not Ibara found himself caving to Jun while Jun unleashed his urges without relent. Being with that boy was exhilarating, Ibara couldn’t deny that, but exhausting all the same. He didn’t see it as love either; soulmates or otherwise, they were simply fated to combat each other through intimacy.

His excellency too was a special case. Taking it upon himself to look after and care for the part of  _ that _ man’s fortune that had been lost to all, Ibara found the endeavor a lot more complicated than he had ever envisioned. He mostly made up for his lack of expertise in the area of caretaking by leaving Nagisa to his own whims and inhibitions, and as a result he found himself the subject of those very same impulses. A fascination born from scent and physical traits that felt familiar to the older of the two, there was a reason Ibara kept the knowledge of his lineage a secret for so long. However, that ended up spurring some improvement between the two, somewhat. Rather, Nagisa was able to state more boldly the comparisons he felt between  _ that _ man and Ibara, providing the younger a better opportunity to refute meaningfully why he disliked it. Even so, that did not stop Nagisa’s approach towards Ibara, expecting something from him that the junior could simply not provide. Love, a word that had remained meaningless to him for so long, was now starting to sound terrifying.

The terror only increased as he found Hiyori leaning down, cupping Ibara’s face in his hands and holding him in place as he brought their mouths together. A kiss, suffocatingly hot, that sent Ibara’s body into a cold shiver. He was never very good with this sort of thing to begin with, and yet everything that Ibara struggled with seemed to be amplified with Hiyori. Warmth intoxicated with an undeniable love, dominating even while being on the receiving end, and showing great care and attention to his partner, no matter how undeserving they were for his affections; that was the way Hiyori played. Ibara felt frustrated in a way he couldn’t really place, unsure if he was angry that Hiyori would pay attention to him like this or more upset with himself that he couldn’t just accept the care for what it was.

“Your highness,” Ibara found himself sighing quietly a moment after the kiss broke, greeted with a giggle in return.

“Yes, just like that, Ibara-kun,” Hiyori cooed as he caressed Ibara’s cheek. How the man’s voice remained so steady and serene, Ibara couldn’t really figure out. “Call for me, throw in a little praise, desire me without restraint. I’m yours now, so act like it.”

After hesitating a few seconds, Ibara gradually raised his arms until they coiled themselves around Hiyori’s back. His fingers dug themselves into the surface slick with sweat, glasses completely fogging up as Hiyori pressed their chests together and rested his head at Ibara’s shoulder.

“Keep holding me,” Hiyori encouraged, “keep holding onto me just like that, Ibara-kun. Be possessive as you like, I’ll even let you litter my body with marks! I’ll be yours for a long time, after all.”

Though Hiyori had been stating such sentiments throughout their time together, Ibara was still struggling to piece it together. There had been a time where Ibara craved the idea of always having someone be by his side, but he assumed it was a folly he’d never get to experience himself. Especially now as an idol, who wasn’t allowed to take up a partner in the public eye, and especially not another man. Regardless, here they were, Hiyori promising himself to Ibara and letting the junior set how long that really meant. Curling his nails into the skin below them, Ibara decided to test that.

“A long time is a lot to promise by mere words,” Ibara challenged.

“Oh?” Hiyori raised his head to meet Ibara’s gaze. He pushed the man’s fogged up glasses off his head and set them aside. “So tell me then, are you going to make me sign another contract? One that’s life-binding?”

The insinuation was not lost on Ibara, and he felt himself swallowing reflexively in response.  _ That _ kind of relationship was especially taboo, and one that couldn’t even be legally recognized. Even so, Ibara found himself contemplating it all the same.

“If you’ll sign it,” Ibara answered, “then I will take what measures I can to ensure his highness remains mine. There may be no legal way to enforce it at this time, but I expect for you to treat it as such.”

“Yes, yes!” Hiyori grinned. “Laws are so boring and senseless, I’d rather let love dictate the rules of this world. If love is what’s written onto your boring contract, then I’ll accept anything you put before me. Oh, but make sure you include a ring and a ceremony to go along with it, I won’t have myself signed away without a celebration~”

Ibara wasn’t sure what to make of the way Hiyori so easily signed himself away. The lack of disgust he’d been showing towards Ibara this entire time was completely uncharacteristic of his senior, who could hardly smile in Ibara’s direction as it was. Yet here he was, giddy as he could be while riding Ibara as if it were the most natural progression of their relationship. He didn’t even seem to mind how Ibara’s nails dug into his skin, as if the scratch had been wanted all along. None of it made any sense, yet the befuddlement didn’t slow down or abide the pleasure Ibara was receiving from this all the same, so he figured he might as well give in return.

“...Nn~?” Hiyori’s head perked up as he let out a gasp, looking down to where Ibara’s hand had gone. “Ibara-kun...Wouldn‘t you rather I cum from just having you inside me? You don’t have to do that.”

Why did he expect this sort of reaction? Hiyori was selfish to a fault, and at the same time if he gave, he didn’t want to have any assistance in the matter; he had to give all of himself, as if doing so repaid his debts. Ibara’s grasp around the man’s cock tightened, slipping up and down the shaft with ease.

“I won’t last long,” Ibara explained, “so I’d rather his highness get something at least a little enjoyable out of this.”

“I am enjoying myself,” Hiyori returned, closing his eyes and his own movements growing more shallow as he rode into the hand around him. “I-I’m enjoying myself plenty just by being with Ibara-kun.”

“Then there shouldn’t be an issue with me ensuring that,” Ibara responded, his free hand trailing up and down Hiyori’s spine. “I’ll ensure his highness reaches his peak without issue. Surely there’s no crime in that, yes?”

Ibara watched the man’s face above contort into an unreadable expression; a scary thing for a man who wore his heart on his sleeve. He continued nonetheless, returning the gaze until he felt a drop of water fall on his face. His vision obscured by fog upon his lenses, he hadn’t even noticed how the amethyst gaze above flooded with tears.

“You horrible viper,” Hiyori whispered in a broken sob, “you...You really do love me, don’t you?”

It should have been the easiest thing in the world to say no, he didn’t. Of course he didn’t love Hiyori—he didn’t even know what love was in the first place. If after all this time he still didn’t know, then what could his highness Hiyori do? Despite that, his retort remained lodged in his throat, unable to say exactly that. Just as suddenly, a hot pair of lips pressed themselves down to his own, suffocating the defense entirely and masking it in an atrocious amount of affection instead. Hiyori came quickly into his hand, and the tightness that ensued ensured that Ibara wouldn’t last long either. Hiyori didn’t budge an inch, however. He remained over Ibara, kissing him unrelentlessly as if trying to choke him to sleep with his love.

* * *

“Mm~” Hiyori let out the satisfied hum as he took a sip of the green tea Ibara had prepared for him. “What a delicious blend! So refreshing and sweet. How did you know I prefer this kind?”

“Paying attention to his highness’s taste is easy,” Ibara answered, “rather, it would be difficult for me to not know by this point, considering how often we go out to eat together these days.” He remained in his current position of kneeling adjacent to the futon while Hiyori sat inside it, propped up by the highest feather count pillows Ibara had laying around.

“That’s true,” Hiyori remarked before grabbing Ibara’s arm and forcing the man to flinch, “you’re spending so much time with me lately. Taking me on dates, rescuing me from my own villainous thoughts, it’s like you’re quickly becoming my knight in shining armor! You already address me like I’m your princess, at least~”

“I will never understand how you can misinterpret my intentions so poorly,” Ibara sighed. “If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times. These are merely the ways in which I find it easiest to manage you.”

“True, you do that well,” Hiyori admitted as he took another sip, “cleaning and dressing me up after our time together, offering me a cup of tea, and even going out of your way as to clear up my schedule for the day just so we can spend more time together. Yep, yep~ Ibara knows best how to manage me because of how deeply infatuated he is with me.”

Would there never be a way to convince the older of the two otherwise? He seemed set on this idea, and the excuses he used to make his arguments were all so small and trivial. It was like he didn’t even need Ibara to say what he felt—which he certainly didn’t. Couldn’t, actually. He couldn’t feel that sort of affection, no matter how much Hiyori and his own pounding heart tried to say otherwise.

“Speaking of, though,” Hiyori went on before pulling Ibara fully back onto the futon with him, enveloping the smaller man in his warmth. “I believe I told you to rest earlier, and we got sidetracked.”

“Oh?” Ibara attempted to wiggle himself free but found Hiyori’s grip scarily strong. “And whose fault is that?”

“Neither of us, really,” Hiyori answered. Ibara found himself taken aback by the serious tone the other spoke in and remained silent enough for Hiyori to continue. “Compatibility is a two-way street, after all. I wanted to be with you as you wanted to be with me.”

“...What?”

“The shock on your face...Ibara-kun, you really are a troublesome little viper.”

Hiyori placed his cup down and embraced Ibara fully, laying on the futon with him and nuzzling his nose. “Darling Ibara-kun,” Hiyori sighed, “I love you, no matter how much you might have convinced yourself that you’re incapable of such a thing. So allow me to love you until you’ve grown to accept how deeply impassioned you are. Not just for me, but for all of us. I know you care. It hurts me to think about the way that you deny that, and I have to admit it makes little sense to me. Even so, I don’t mind being a vessel for your heart. Let it grow and flourish, Ibara-kun. You’re warm, like me, so let’s burn our fires together until the world is overcome with our love.”

Silence between the two was an odd thing, and yet it existed anyway. Ibara had no response to the confession, and he found a disturbing amount of peace in just resting in the man’s arms. Bizarre, utterly and completely so. Rather than the warmth affecting him the way it had earlier, he somehow felt  _ drowsy _ . Glasses removed from his face without protest, Ibara had no choice but to surrender for the brief moment.

“Your highness,” Ibara murmured, curling up his hands against Hiyori’s chest and letting out a yawn, “you really have such a strange imagination. I will entertain your flights of fancy however, if you deem them important.”

Resting upon the soft surface of Hiyori’s chest and letting his woes melt away, Ibara decided to at least be a loyal servant to his senior and allowed himself to be lulled into sleep by the long and slender fingers combing through his hair.

  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Shoutout to Meri for badgering me for the past month to finish writing these borderlines. Twt is @nagisenpai and also I rec reading the companion piece to this which is my nagijun fic, you’ll find it as the fic just below this one on my profile. Ty for reading!


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